Honda RC181
Mike Hailwood
Honda entered the 500cc GP class in 1966 in an attempt to break MV Agusta’s eight-year record for the title.
The RC181 is the used bike and the riders are Mike Hailwood (who won the MV title two years ago) and Jim Redman.
Although Redman won two races and Hailwood three, it was Giacomo Agostini who finished first with three wins and five second places – Hailwood failed to score in the first four races.
1967 proved to be a classic season with Hailwood and Agostini battling it out all year with both finishing on points with five wins each. Agostini was awarded the title thanks to his three second-place finish ahead of Hailwood’s two.
The 1966 car has a capacity of 85 horsepower at 12,000 rpm and weighs 154 kg. The following year, those numbers improved to 93 hp at 12,650 rpm and 141 kg.
The famous RC181 isn’t the best handling bike –”horribly bloody” to quote Hailwood, so after pre-season testing in Japan showed no progress on this front, he commissioned Reynolds’ Ken Sprayson to design and create a new framework for the start of the season. ’67 (Honda reinforced their design following Hailwood’s feedback).
Sprayson thought that the problem was Honda’s use of an open rack (to lower the center of gravity), so designed a single ring with a large diameter (allowing for space for the exhaust), along with a bar. main brace at the head post and swingarm shaft.
Honda decided that the bike could not be run at the Grand Prix so Hailwood used it in several non-Champions events, the first being at Rimini.
He finished second behind Agostini after running off track, then won the next race at Imola. With Honda being dropped from the GP at the end of the ’67 season, and Hailwood being paid by them to not race for the ’68, it was almost the end of the cyclist’s career.
The original magnesium carburetor was “lost” before the current owner bought the car, so aluminum parts have now been fitted.
It is now part of the Solvang Classic Motorcycle Museum in California.
